WhatsApp to soon get stickers on images, grouping, and more: How new features work

WhatsApp will soon roll out a new update to the iOS version that will bring as many as four new features

WhatsApp is set to bring four new features

WhatsApp opened its first formal public beta program for iOS about a month ago and the first beta version for iOS is now available. The WhatsApp for iOS version 2.19.10.21 has been submitted via the TestFlight beta programme that brings along new features such as the ability to use stickers in any image, video, or GIF, and the ‘Reply Privately’. The new features and improvements will be available as a part of the iOS beta version 2.19.10 update with immediate effect on App Store as and when it is rolled out.

The WhatsApp Stickers, which were introduced in the month of October last year, can now be added to the images, videos, and GIF files that are exchanged between chats, reports WABetaInfo. While sending an image, a video, or a GIF file, a new interface will be available to the iOS beta users that will feature an option to use stickers under the emoji icon. The stickers will be available under the Recents, Content Stickers, Favorites tabs, besides the downloaded sticker packs. A sticker from the private gallery (the ones that have been downloaded) is resizable as per the user’s preference. The messaging app has also made it possible to select stickers which were received in your chats if the user has marked them as the favourite.

Additionally, WhatsApp has also enabled the ‘Reply Privately’ feature on iOS now. It was released on the Android version with the version 2.18.335 beta update. After enabling it for iOS, the user could respond to the messages of contact within a group chat that the sender is no longer a participant. The user can access it by tapping and holding a received message in a group and choosing the Reply Privately option in the menu that appears.

When the user taps Reply Privately option, a chat with the sender of the selected received message is opened, quoting that message (so when the recipient of the message selects the quoted message privately, the app will automatically open the group, displaying the message).

The feature is intended for beta testers and the users can choose it in groups, while the other users who have an old WhatsApp for iOS version installed can see a quoted group message privately.

WhatsApp has also added another feature on the iOS beta version. It has introduced 3D touch actions for iPhone 6s and higher models to leverage the 3D Touch functionality. It essentially lets users ‘peek and pop cells’ on WhatsApp Status. This means that the user can see a preview of status updates shared by their contacts. In addition, one can also mute the status update via the 3D Touch preview.

This will substitute for the Read Receipts for Status so that the user can see the Status updates from contacts without letting WhatsApp count their view and show it to the respective contact.

Lastly, WhatsApp is introducing grouped stickers for the chats. When a user sends two or more stickers consecutively in a chat, the app normally groups them in a row. With this feature, you will be able to see ‘Message Info’ for a particular sticker sent when it has been grouped with another sticker. You just need to swipe left on a specific sticker to see its information. Apart from this, the users can also forward or delete a single sticker without selecting the other of the grouped pair. Previous versions did not allow this feature; the user had to select both.